Broom-corn knife.



No. 700,058. PatentedMay I3, 1902.

G. A. LARSON & J. E. JOHNSON.

BROOM CORN KNIFE.

(Applicatiqn fl1ed June 6, 1900.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF ARVID LARSON AND JOHN EMIL JOHNSON, OF WILCOX, NEBRASKA.

BROOM-CORN KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,058, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed June 6, 1900. Serial No, 19,842. (No model.)

To all whorrt. it may concern:

Be it known that we, GUsTAF ARVID LAR- soN and JOHN EMIL J oHNsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Wilcox, in the county of Kearney and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Broom-Corn Knife, of which the following is a specifica tion.

Our invention is an improvement in that class of knives for cutting broom-corn tops, and has for its object to provide a knife to be held within the hand in such position that the tops of the broom-corn may be engaged thereby and wholly or partially severed.

The object of our improvement is to provide a knife -.b1ade having a handle portion so placed thereon that when the implement is in position on the hand the blade will be arranged on an'angle to the palm of the hand and in such position to permit of the tops of the stalks being drawn down over the edge of the blade and partially severed, this operation taking place while the stalks are standing in the field and leaves the top connected to the stalk by but a small portion thereof, so it may be entirely and easily disconnected whenever desired. This cutting operation is done by placing the knife in one hand and with the other drawing the top of the stalk over, the end of the stalk passing between the fingers of the hand carrying the knife and brought into engagement with the blade, with the result as before stated.

A further object of our improvement is to provide the blade with an adjustable attachment by which the knife can be adjusted to fit any-sized hand.

With these and other advantages our in vention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of our improved broom-corn-cutting knife, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.

In the drawings, A designates the blade of our knife, which has its outer edge beveled to form a sharp cutting-surface a, as shown. The sides of the blade converge toward the rear edge a, which is provided with two apertures, through which pass bolts B, carrying'clamping-nuts that firmly clamp one end a of a handle-retaining member 0 to the blade. The end a of the retaining member is extended back past the rear edge of the knife and is then bent upon itself, as shown at 0, its extreme outer edge terminating in a guide 0 The rear outer edges of the retaining member are alsobent toform guides 0 similar to the guides 0 and between these guides is designed to fit and slide the handles D, which hold the knife within the hand. These handles, of which there are two sections, are practically U-shaped, one end 01 of which slides within the guides of the retaining member 0, while the opposite or free ends d'are provided with apertures, through which is passed a cord or strap that firmly fastens the knife to the hand.

The blade of our knife is designed to fit within the hand, the handle being so arranged in relation to the blade that when the knife is in position the blade will be held at an angle to the palm of the hand, with the round portion 0 of the retaining member 0 snugly fitting against the muscle of the thumb.

It will thus be seen that we provide an exceedingly simple form of knife that is carried within the hand without requiring any action of the fingers, which are left free to engage the stalk that is to be cut.

It may be stated by arranging the handles as described sufficient friction is employed to hold them in their adjusted positions, but at the same time to allow them to be moved inwardly or outwardly to fit hands of diiferent sizes, and in order that they may not be displaced we employ the strap or cord, hereinbe fore referred to, to firmly hold the sections against the hand.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a knife of the kind described,tho combination of a blade having its sides converge toward the rear edge, and having its front edge sharpened, a handle-retaining member held upon the rear of the blade and U -shapedhan die-sections carried by the said retaining section substantially as shown and described.

2. In a knife of the kind described ,the combination of a blade having a handle-retainin g member connected thereto, and handle-sec tions slidably held by said retaining member, I the retaining member, and a cord or strap substantially as shown and described. connecting the outer ends of the handles, sub- 3. In a knife of the kind described,the comstantially as shown and described. bination of a blade having one edge provided In testimony whereof we have signed our 15 5 with a cutting-surface, a handle retaining names to this specification in the presence of member arranged on the said blade opposite two subscribing witnesses.

the cutting-surface, the said retaining mem- GUSTAF ARVID LARSON. her having its free edges bent to form guides, JNO. EMIL JOHNSON. and handle-sections having their outer ends \Vitnesses:

IO provided with apertures, their inner ends ar- B. A. PETERSON,

ranged to fit and slide within the guides of J. P. JOHNSON. 

